April 16, 2007

Celebrating the freedom of enslaved persons in the District of Columbia...

It was 145 years ago today that Lincoln signed a bill ending slavery in the District...nine months earlier than the Emancipation Proclamation. I suppose Lincoln figured why not start with change close to home and make known his intension for the future. More than 3000 slaves were freed upon the signing of this bill. In 2005 former Mayor Williams declared this day a District public holiday and it's also why everyone in the US has an extra day to file their taxes. Speaking of taxes...

Another major event happening in conjunction with this District holiday is the March for DC Voting Rights. In case you didn't know...and many people don't, the District of Columbia, a place where I live and pay federal taxes, does not have voting representation in the House or Senate. Does this sound crazy and unbelievable to you? Yeah, me too. Remember the slogan from the 1760s "No Taxation without Representation"...well it's alive here in DC. Even if you don't live in the District, please consider calling or writing your state Congress Rep today and urge them to support the DC Voting Rights Act and give our city a voice.

Want to learn more? Check out the DC Vote page and check out the TV ads. I also encourage you to listen to one of my favorite groups, Sweet Honey in the Rock, sing about DC voting rights, or lack of...

April 11, 2007

I got home last night to find beautiful peach sunlight streaming in through my bedroom window. When I looked out, this is what I saw. It was an amazing sunset last night and I have to say, it's lovely having windows. Especially windows with such a beautiful view. Hooray for no longer living in a basement apartment!

April 10, 2007

On Sunday, Grant and I had my brother and a couplefriends over for an impromptu Sunday brunch. We had lots of yummy food and had a nice visit. My Mum and Dad even joined us from Maine.

I made yeast waffles, the kind that sit on the counter over night...very strange, but they were not as good as Amanda's recipe, which I'll have to get. I also made Gingerbread cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese frosting. I *love* ginger and doesn't cream cheese taste good on everything? As you can see in the cupcake picture below, I put a little crystallized ginger X on top of each...my brother thought it was a crucifix in recognition of the holiday. Cupcake art is definitely interpretive.

April 08, 2007

April 07, 2007

Then why is it snowing in April? Pure craziness, I tell you. I went to bed with tulips blooming, tree buds expanding into full green leaves, cherry blossoms coming to an end and falling off...all signs that we're well into spring. I woke up to a blanket of white fuzz and a stiff cold breeze. Now I recognize that it's nothing compared to the foot of snow my family got earlier this week, but I don't live in Maine. I live in what I consider the south and well, I put up with the unbearable summer heat and humidity so that I can have warm, sunny weather, in the spring. So I'm a bit annoyed with the cold, and now snow, honing in on my spring.

I may sound more annoyed than I actually am. The snow is, as always, clean and pretty, but I am sad to not have a warm and sunny weekend.

April 03, 2007

So this past weekend Grant and I were able to escape from our busy lives to a cabin near the Shenandoah area. We rented the cabin with friends for 3 nights, and though it was a little dirty, ok, a lot dirty and a bit on the gross side, we had a nice weekend talking, laughing and of course eating allkinds of yummyfood (including ooey, gooey, smores.)

The cabin was on 315 acres and the land was beautiful. The views of the mountains and rolling green hills were amazing and the private pond was great. It was especially cool when we set off fireworks near the water...the reflection of the explosions were incredible.

I made some headway on my socks and sweater and will post new pictures this week.

You can see more of our weekend adventure on my flickr, but here are a few of my favorites...